Esports: Live from the world's biggest esports event

Adoring crowds, fire jets and glitter bombs usher in the finalists at the world's most prestigious esports tournament

I AM sitting high in the stands at Seattle's KeyArena, elbow to elbow with excited sports fans. The buzz from the sell-out crowd rises as TV announcers clear their throats and a bank of cameras focus on the field of play. Suddenly, the stage lights up with spotlights and jets of flame. Cheesy rock music blares as the teams come on. Battle is about to commence.

This is American professional sports at its loudest and glitziest. But the last NBA basketball game played here was in 2008. This is The International, the world's biggest annual knock-out championships for Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2), a fantasy-themed multiplayer online game that boasts a heady mix of strategy, teamwork and violence. Dozens of five-player teams from around the world have fought their way through preliminary rounds to reach the finals. Now just two remain: ViCi Gaming and Newbee.

Over the next few hours, the combatants will attempt to reduce their opponents to a collection of blood-spattered pixels. All 10 are young, studious-looking Chinese men, reflecting the dominance that Asian teams now exert in competitive gaming. Although heroes to legions of online followers, they have none of the exuberant self-confidence of traditional sports stars. At a pre-match press conference, they nibble fingernails, stare at phones and mumble answers to the questions.

Even up on stage in matching tracksuits, they strike me as more high-school chess team than potential multimillionaires. There is no air-punching or trash talk, just the air of professionals getting down to business.

If the event conveys mass-market aspirations, Dota 2 itself remains fearsomely exclusive. The vicious digital smackdowns look impressive, but the strategic subtleties fly way over my head. Nevertheless, the games flash by and 3 hours later, Newbee blasts to victory over ViCi. The final keystrokes are followed by bursts of fireworks, glitter bombs and a standing ovation from delighted fans around me.

After the match, and mobbed by fans, Newbee captain Zhang Ning (aka "Xiao8") tells reporters: "The game is like a dream and we just woke up."

A week later, the 24-year-old player reveals he has been suffering from stress-induced digestive complaints and announces his retirement from pro gaming. "My doctor advised me to rest. I discovered that health is the most important thing." Esports may be a young phenomenon but money and fame are helping it grow up fast.

This article appeared in print under the headline "Fire jets and glitter bombs"

Where can I watch esports?

Ready to get into esports but don't know where to start? Try logging on to Twitch.tv, the top site to watch video games. Twitch pulls in around 45 million viewers every month who watch celebrity gamers playing live.

Or, if you're looking to meet other fans, grab a drink at a dedicated esports bar. Meltdown, the UK's first, opened in London in June and also has sites in Paris and Berlin. They offer live streams and open play every night. In the US, some bars host dedicated game nights, with big-screen showings of the latest battles. Ones which show Starcraft, the popular multiplayer game, are called "BarCraft" nights, while "BarFights" show Streetfighter II contests. Aviva Rutkin

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